adminNatasha Kokai
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has conducted 60 open-heart surgeries since resuscitation of the programme last year.
The hospital’s public relations manager, Mr Linos Dhire, said the patients were attended to in the 22-month period through to October 2018.
“Amongst these, 27 are paediatric patients, while 33 are adults,” he said, adding there were four fatalities due to complications.
“The average cost of an open-heart surgery is $6 000,” said Mr Dhire.
“The hospital is in collaboration with NOIC, which has availed $350 000 to cater for those who do not afford to pay for the procedures. The major challenge is that of key drug suppliers failing to provide the necessary drugs. This is coupled with a shortage of specialised manpower like perfusionists,” he said.
Previously patients used to make the 7 000km journey to India to undergo the same procedure. Parirenyatwa is Zimbabwe’s only public health institution conducting open-heart surgery.
Online Reporter